


Fear & Delight

by allislaughter



Series: My Only Sin is I Can't Win [3]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Eldritch, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Third Person, Present Tense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:28:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28651278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allislaughter/pseuds/allislaughter
Summary: After his last two meetings with the Mysterious Stranger, Nick's obsession is only growing worse. Especially given the cryptic warnings he gets about getting involved with the Stranger, and the new information he can use to find out more. And Nick wants to find out more. After all, these feelings he has for the Stranger is anger and a want for justice... Right?A/N: Temporarily Not Rated until I write enough to figure out what rating to give it.
Relationships: Mysterious Stranger/Nick Valentine
Series: My Only Sin is I Can't Win [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934476
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	Fear & Delight

It’s a quiet morning in the Agency, with Ellie working on filing, Nick typing up a report on the latest case, and no sign of Sole who, last Nick knows, is currently travelling with a different partner after what Nick pulled, running off at that abandoned hospital. Nick hadn’t been able to give a good enough excuse for his actions. Sole knew that their mutual stalker of a serial killer had been there, but that wasn’t good enough to justify Nick running off and disappearing when there could have been more danger around.

“You’re a loose cannon, Valentine,” is not a phrase he expected to hear said over 200 years after the bombs fell, especially with the amusement in Sole’s voice. “Is he your ex or something?” is something he expected to hear even less.

The nerve. Thinking that Nick would have any romantic interest, past or present, with the  _ Mysterious Stranger _ of all people. Of all eldritch beings at that.

The Stranger is Nick’s arch nemesis and nothing more. Even if no one else knows just who or what the Stranger is, beyond tales and rumors, some of which Nick can now confirm as true.

He tries not to think about that evening he discovered the truth. The resignation that the Stranger  _ is _ something eldritch. That there isn’t anything he can do to stop something like that. The man’s goddamn tentacles as they slide into his internal components and—

“Nick,” Ellie’s voice cuts into his thoughts, and he looks up only to find her smiling in amusement. “Thinking about your ex?” she jokes.

“What did Sole tell you?” Nick asks.

“Nothing that the case file you keep under your bed didn’t already tell me,” Ellie answers.

Nick nearly sputters and just barely manages to keep his composure. “He’s— He’s not my  _ ex.” _

“Your current, then?” Ellie jokes and Nick  _ does _ sputter at that. “Your current obsession, that is.”

Nick clears his throat. “Uh... Yes, if you want to call it that. He’s a  _ serial killer. _ I’m not going to rest until I bring him to justice, one way or another.”

Ellie rolls her eyes, smiling in amusement. “Of course.” She closes the filing cabinet drawer and wipes her hands together. “Well! I promised Piper I’d meet her for lunch today. Promise me you won’t get yourself in trouble while I’m gone?”

“I’m not going to go seeking out trouble,” Nick assures. “Have fun on your date.”

Ellie winks at him and heads out the door. It closes behind her, and Nick sighs and slumps in his chair.

Goodness, he thinks. He can only imagine the rumor mill Sole is starting about him and the Stranger. He doesn’t even know if Sole knows that Nick had—

The door opens again, and Nick is quick to stand to greet whoever is entering. A familiar pair of sunglasses and a sly grin meet him, and Nick frowns in annoyance and takes a seat again.

“Aww, what?” Deacon laughs. “Not excited to see me, Valentine?”

“What do you want, Deacon?” Nick looks back to his report, ready to ignore the man.

“You know me.” Deacon saunters in and picks up random items around Nick’s office, inspecting them before setting them back down. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d pay my favorite detective a visit.”

“Mm-hmm,” Nick hums, waiting for Deacon’s true intentions to come to light.

“You know, it’s funny— I passed by Sole today and heard a  _ real _ fun story. A real hospital romance novella.”

That draws Nick’s eyes on Deacon’s face. “Oh...?”

Deacon chuckles. “So, was it the waltz? Tango? Ooh, what about salsa?”

“It was...” Nick pauses to contemplate an appropriate response. “...none of your business,” he settles on, turning away to return to his work.

“Oh, come on,” Deacon laughs, walking over to poke at Nick’s shoulder. “All you’re going to tell me is that you danced with some mysterious stranger and nothing else? You’ve piqued my curiosity and I know a few cats who would die for more.”

“You’re going to go through all  _ five _ of your lives before I tell you more,” Nick rebuttals, ignoring Deacon’s offended snort. “It was just a fluke. Not going to happen again.”

“How exactly do you dance with someone as a  _ fluke?” _ Deacon asks. “Come on, do you really not even know who it is you danced with? You don’t even have a  _ name?” _

“If I tell you his name, will you leave me alone?” Nick asks.

“Absotively, posilutely,” Deacon says, holding up three fingers in a salute. “Scout’s honor.”

“It’s Farmer,” Nick says. “His name is Farmer.”

Deacon goes silent. Nick goes silent. They stare at each other, Deacon’s expression neutral all of a sudden and Nick’s in tense confusion. Deacon reaches out, pats Nick’s shoulder, and then turns to leave.

“Wait, what is  _ that _ about?” Nick demands, but true to his promise, Deacon walks out the door. “Deacon!” The door shuts and Nick slumps his shoulders and sighs. “Goodness, you’d think I just told him I have a death sentence...”

It takes a few seconds before it clicks: Deacon knows something about Farmer.

He curses and jumps to his feet, rushing out the door. “Deacon, wait! Come back here!”

He catches sight of a glint off Deacon’s shades, turning back towards him. A small motion to keep quiet, and a quick nod to follow. Nick can only hope whatever this is about won’t make him break his promise to Ellie as he walks at a distance after Deacon to whatever secondary location they’ll have this conversation.

There’s a stray thought that, perhaps, Deacon’s playing his own game, much like the Stranger does. There’s also the concern that whatever he might tell Nick about the Stranger will be just as useless as any of his other lies.

But there’s that hope that he can get the information he needs at long last.

He follows Deacon to somewhere quiet and secluded, and Deacon turns around to give him the most affronted look he can.

“You know you need to stay away from that guy, right?” Deacon demands. “That you can’t be calling him by name like that. He’ll  _ hear _ you.”

Nick frowns. “Don’t tell me you believe the whole  _ eldritch _ thing. Look, all I want is to  _ stop _ that man. If no one else will—”

“No one else  _ can,” _ Deacon says. “How many other people have you seen actually take notice of him...?”

“...Sole—”

“Because he’s Sole’s guardian eldritch monstrosity,” Deacon says.

Nick frowns. “He prefers eldritch being.” At Deacon’s concerned grin, Nick stammers. “I mean— Nothing, nevermind. How do  _ you _ know him, then?”

“You’re asking  _ me _ that?” Deacon grins and places his hands over his chest. “Wow, I’m glad you have so much faith in me to believe I’d tell you the truth. Really, it’s such an honor.” He fakes sobs and dabs his eyes with an imaginary tissue. “I’d like to thank the academy—”

“Deacon, just give me  _ something _ to work with for once.” He frowns. “I swear, if you dragged me out here for nothing...”

Deacon goes silent again, and Nick can practically hear gears turning in his head. “When I was younger, I had a few adventures of my own. And  _ he _ took notice. Every now and then, when I was in a bind...” Deacon a capellas the music sting and pantomimes a gun firing, with the appropriate sound effect. “Just out of nowhere to finish the job and disappear without a word.”

“Like he does with Sole,” Nick muses. “Just his same M.O.”

“And, you know?” Deacon says. “You get a  _ little _ curious, you start looking into him a  _ bit _ more than you should...” He trails off and then shakes his head. “Look, all I’m saying is, if you want to make out with a guy who likes to shoot his gun and run and who’s hiding tentacles under his coat...”

_ “God,” _ Nick groans. “I don’t want to  _ make out _ with him—”

“...Just keep yourself safe, alright?” Deacon says. “Guy like that, he doesn’t care about the little, insignificant folks out there. I don’t know how he decides someone  _ isn’t _ as little or insignificant as the others. Supernatural stuff? The worst. Can’t predict it, and too incomprehensible to understand. You’ll get three new questions for every answer you get.”

Nick sighs and clasps Deacon’s shoulder. “Look, kid, I’ll be fine. I just need to figure out a solid plan to deal with this man and it’ll all be over. We won’t have to worry anymore.”

Deacon grins again, though Nick can see the uncertainty in it. “Glad to know we’re in good hands and fancy feet.”

“...I told you, that was a fluke.”

“Nick,” Deacon says. “How the  _ hell _ do you dance with someone  _ eldritch _ by  _ accident?” _

Nick clamps his mouth shut and glares. Deacon holds his hands up in peace and steps to the side.

“Alright,” he says. “If that’s your prerogative, I’m not going to argue. Just keep yourself safe, Valentine. And, uh... maybe be careful when and where you say his name. If he’s interested in you enough to dance, I’m sure he’ll be keeping an ear out for you...”

Nick eyes Deacon. “...You know his name,” he points out.

“...Yeah?”

“Did  _ you _ ever get involved with—”

“Oh, look at the time!” Deacon interjects, looking at the imaginary watch on his wrist. “I’m going to be late for rehearsal. Gotta go. Have fun trying to catch that slippery dick.”

Nick sends Deacon a disgusted, incredulous look as Deacon runs off without another word. After a moment, he slumps his shoulders and sighs. “You know? I rather not know...”

...A shadow shifts to the side of him, and he turns to try and find the source, bristling at the thought that, maybe, Farmer heard him after all. “Hey,” he calls at the shadow, watching for any human or incomprehensible shapes to appear. 

There’s a clatter, and he reaches for his gun...

A cat clambers out of a hole in the wall with a radroach leg in its mouth. Nick makes a noise in disgust, watching the cat eat the leg, but he then crouches down and holds a hand out, making a  _ pspsps _ sound to coax the cat over.

“C’mon, Miss Caro,” Nick coaxes. The cat trots over and presses into his hand for scritches. “That’s a good girl... We should get you back to your owner. She’s probably already halfway to my door to ask me to look for you.”

Miss Caro mews indignantly, but she lets Nick pick her up and she curls up and purrs against the warmth of Nick’s chest. Nick chuckles and carries Miss Caro back the way he came...

A man in a yellow coat and hat watches from just beyond Nick’s field of vision. In a blink, he vanishes as if there was no one ever there.

The rest of the day goes smoothly for Nick. He gets Miss Caro back to her owner and has a quiet day with few interruptions, all of which are easily taken care of.

That evening, however, in the quiet of the night and with him alone in the office, Nick thinks back to what Deacon said. All things he already knows about the Stranger or doesn’t want to admit, but still rattling around in his head and keeping him from running a good night’s diagnostic.

Someone doesn’t just dance with an eldritch being by  _ accident. _ Someone doesn’t just let an eldritch being show them a good time by stumbling into it. There’s some kind of feeling here, from him for the Stranger.

And it’s anger.

He sits up, the bed creaking beneath him as he riles up at the thought. The Stranger has to be pulling something, trying to get into his head, make him slip up. It’s not going to work. He’s stopping that man once and for all.

He just has to figure out a solution to his problem. How not to be tricked into playing the Stranger’s games long enough to apprehend him. How to apprehend him in the first place. How to—

There’s a sound, not quite a musical sting but likewise not something he should be hearing outside the bedroom with Ellie spending the night at Piper’s. He frowns and as silently as possible, edges towards the office to look in and see if he happens to have another unwelcome guest...

He keeps a grip on his gun, just in case.

There’s a figure sitting at Ellie’s desk, cast in shadow from the dark room. Sitting towards him, they reach for the lamp on Ellie’s desk and flick on the light.

“Guess who!” Sole greets, and Nick relaxes all tension in his frame instantly.

“Sole,” Nick groans. “How did you get in here? The door was locked.”

“Ellie let me borrow a key.”

“Oh, good,” Nick says. “So you didn’t pick the lock.” At Sole’s nervous grin, he sighs and shakes his head. “Never mind. Second question:  _ why _ did you break in here? Do you know what time it is?”

“Time for you to get a watch,” Sole jokes. They clear their throat and lean forward, resting on their knees. “Okay, okay. Serious answer. So, the Mysterious Stranger...”

“Not this again,” Nick groans. “I got enough of this from Deacon earlier.”

“Aww, I missed Deeks?” Sole sighs. “Well, okay, I don’t know what  _ he _ told you, but, um... You know how you’re obsessed with the guy and run off after him all the time?”

“That was only one time.”

“Yeah,” Sole says. “One time with  _ me _ around. Uh...” They rub the back of their neck. “God, Ellie’s going to kill me when she finds out, but... I have a lead for you. On where to find out more about the Stranger. Came across something today and came straight here.”

Nick’s eyes widen. He steps in, feeling as if he’s gliding on the prospect of answers, and he pulls up a chair, seated right in front of Sole.

_ “Go on.” _


End file.
